Can I Receive Free To Air Cable From UPC Cable?

thisNthat

Hi Everyone I hoping for some opinions and recommendations here,
I'm currently with UPC and our contract is up in a month or so. I'm not renewing any sort of contract with them.
I'm looking at getting a free to air HD box, one with as many channels as i can receive, unfortunately where I live I can't install a Satellite dish as its a built up area and the council won't allow it, so my question is this, Once UPC cut us off, can i just buy a free to air box and connect the original cable (which was going into the UPC box) into the free to air box and get all the channels? or what do i need to do to get them? Any recommendations for a very good free-to-air box? I have absolutely no experience with any of this so please excuse the simplicity of the question but all/any info is greatly appreciated,
Thanks in advance:)

JDxtra

Nope. Once you are not a customer you'll get nothing. It's a private cable network.

watty

For free:

Aerial 5 channels
or
Aerial + Satellite dish 50+ Channels (+ 160 channels of junk).

Even if UPC don't disconnect everything, continued use would make you liable for charge.

thisNthat

Thanks Guys, Info Appreciated

icdg

There are no free channels on cable.

If you have a restrictive covenant preventing you from erecting a satellite dish, and don't want cable, your best bet is analogue terrestrial while it lasts, and after that Saorview, if you can receive it. I can't recieve a stable Saorview signal on a powered indoor aerial and can't recieve a Saorview signal at all with a normal rabits ears. But others may have better luck, it may just be my particular location.

If not, the lowest UPC package is €22 pm. If you have broadband, there is a Sky via IP service (Sky Player TV) for €18 pm, but the range of channels is limited to Sky's own channels and a handful of others. RTÉ et al isn't on it.

thisNthat

Thanks for the info guys appreciated, Hopefully you can clear this up for me, The UPC cable is connected to a box outside (Near the fascia/soffit) and is coming through the wall into my living room, Once UPC cut us off (After I don't renew my contract) is it possible (In theory) to take the cable from the UPC box outside and connect it directly to a free-to-air satellite dish to receive all the channels on a free-to-air receiver? The reason for asking is I could install a dish at the side of the house but I don't want to go drilling through the wall again to bring the cable from the dish into the living room (When there is already a cable coming from outside into the living room currently with UPC) so shouldn't it work just to take the UPC cable from the box outside (Once they're cut me off) and connect it to a free-to-air dish and receive all the channels?
Do I need a special connection to do this? All/any info appreciated
Thanks in advance

justsomebloke

PepN wrote: »

Once UPC cut us off (After I don't renew my contract)

You are probably on a rolling contract so you will probably have to ring them to terminate the service.

PepN wrote: »

is it possible (In theory) to take the cable from the UPC box outside and connect it directly to a free-to-air satellite dish to receive all the channels on a free-to-air receiver?

you should be able to do this once the cable is long enough to reach the position of the dish. The one thing to note is that you won't be able to use a box with record functionality if you buy one, as this would need a second cable run to it.

thisNthat

Joe the Santa wrote: »

you should be able to do this once the cable is long enough to reach the position of the dish. The one thing to note is that you won't be able to use a box with record functionality if you buy one, as this would need a second cable run to it.

Cheers Joe, If I bought a box with record function Is there not a splitter connection of some sort that could be used outside at the dish or inside at the box itself?
Where does the second cable need the feed from? The dish aswell? If so, could it not be split inside before its inserted into the box?
If not why not?
Thanks for info

JDxtra

No, with satellite you generally need two seperate cables running between dish and the box for the full set of recording functions. One cable is used to watch one channel, the other is used to record another. A single cable cannot be split.

You can use one cable if you like, but you won't be able to watch another live broadcast while it is recording (there are some exceptions to this rule, but it depends on the channel and your equipment).

justsomebloke

PepN wrote: »

Cheers Joe, If I bought a box with record function Is there not a splitter connection of some sort that could be used outside at the dish or inside at the box itself?
Where does the second cable need the feed from? The dish aswell? If so, could it not be split inside before its inserted into the box?
If not why not?
Thanks for info

The second cable has to be run to the dish. At the dish you have an lnb and each cable has to be connected to this (you will also have to make sure that the dish you get has an lnb with the right amount of connections for your needs as some come with just one)

basically satellite channels can run a lot of different frequencies and polarisation etc and the lnb is what switches so you are getting the right feed, however it can only be set to one at a time, so each feed needs it's own lnb connection

Ranicand

Joe the Santa wrote: »

The second cable has to be run to the dish. At the dish you have an lnb and each cable has to be connected to this (you will also have to make sure that the dish you get has an lnb with the right amount of connections for your needs as some come with just one)

basically satellite channels can run a lot of different frequencies and polarisation etc and the lnb is what switches so you are getting the right feed, however it can only be set to one at a time, so each feed needs it's own lnb connection

Correct also your box provides the power for these lnb blocks.

Digital Plus boxes from UPC do not have to power anything that is why they just require one cable.

thisNthat

Very helpful replies Guys, Thank you

Del2005

PepN wrote: »

Hi Everyone I hoping for some opinions and recommendations here,
I'm currently with UPC and our contract is up in a month or so. I'm not renewing any sort of contract with them.
I'm looking at getting a free to air HD box, one with as many channels as i can receive, unfortunately where I live I can't install a Satellite dish as its a built up area and the council won't allow it, so my question is this, Once UPC cut us off, can i just buy a free to air box and connect the original cable (which was going into the UPC box) into the free to air box and get all the channels? or what do i need to do to get them? Any recommendations for a very good free-to-air box? I have absolutely no experience with any of this so please excuse the simplicity of the question but all/any info is greatly appreciated,
Thanks in advance:)

PepN wrote: »

Thanks for the info guys appreciated, Hopefully you can clear this up for me, The UPC cable is connected to a box outside (Near the fascia/soffit) and is coming through the wall into my living room, Once UPC cut us off (After I don't renew my contract) is it possible (In theory) to take the cable from the UPC box outside and connect it directly to a free-to-air satellite dish to receive all the channels on a free-to-air receiver? The reason for asking is I could install a dish at the side of the house but I don't want to go drilling through the wall again to bring the cable from the dish into the living room (When there is already a cable coming from outside into the living room currently with UPC) so shouldn't it work just to take the UPC cable from the box outside (Once they're cut me off) and connect it to a free-to-air dish and receive all the channels?
Do I need a special connection to do this? All/any info appreciated
Thanks in advance

Are you living in a development run by a Management company? Otherwise your free to stick a dish up, the only possible issue is planning permission if mounting it on the front of the house but no one else worries about that. If you search the Sat forum you'll see there's an EU law which allows Sat dishes.

Is there an issue with using UPCs cables for your own use since UPC retain ownership off everything?

thisNthat

Del2005 wrote: »

the only possible issue is planning permission if mounting it on the front of the house

Is there an issue with using UPCs cables for your own use since UPC retain ownership off everything?

Thanks for the reply, Firstly the bold you highlighted - I only found out since that post that its only the front of the house that is an issue for installing a dish "so thanks for highlighting"

What do you mean "Is there an issue with using UPCs cables for your own use since UPC retain ownership off everything? In relation to which? and whats the issue here if I wanted to use UPC cables to run my free-to-air dish and receiver?, They may be able to cut me off remotely but I own the house and it's private property so if anyone thinks they can come on to someones private property and start ripping cables off walls etc without the owners consent then surly there are legal repercussions for that?
They can have their UPC box back but if anyone touches anything on my private property without my consent (Including cables attached to my walls etc) then Surely I have legal rights to stop them? Don't I?
It's my property for god-sake, trespassing, Property defamation etc..

Anyway my questions have been answered perfectly in relation to the dish etc by the above people so thank you to all

watty

UPC cables internal to the property are rarely suitable for Satellite TV. The outdoor cables can't be touched anyway.

UPC will have a wayleave on any cables crossing your property, outside on your walls. You can't remove them.

thisNthat

watty wrote: »

UPC will have a wayleave on any cables crossing your property, outside on your walls. You can't remove them.

I'm sorry but I don't buy that for a minute, If I wish to paint my house (which is owned by me and not looked after by a management company) and these cables are restricting me from doing so, your saying I can't remove them? I'd like to see the owner of a property prosecuted in court for removing such cables, no matter who claims to own them. If someone wanted to come on to your private property to start ripping stuff down from your walls without your consent first, would you let them? Honestly?

lucernarian

Do you know what a wayleave is? Just because you own the walls the cables are fixed to, doesn't mean you own the cables too.

There are too many court cases which have dealt with rights of way onto other people's property or land, it's a well-established principle though establishing a legal right of way or lack thereof can mean an expensive legal bill.

thisNthat

To_be_confirmed wrote: »

Do you know what a wayleave is? Just because you own the walls the cables are fixed to, doesn't mean you own the cables too.

There are too many court cases which have dealt with rights of way onto other people's property or land, it's a well-established principle though establishing a legal right of way or lack thereof can mean an expensive legal bill.

Hmmmm seems like using their stuff might be more trouble than its worth, Best to just install fresh with my own cables etc.
If I wrote to them asking them to remove their cables from my property, Are they legally obliged to do so? Considering the outside cables were on the house before I bought it (the previous owner must have used UPC too)
Thanks for info

lucernarian

I don't know if they own the thinner cable that goes from the "junction box" to the house but they certainly would own the thicker cable going from house to house.

I'm not sure I agree with watty on the quality of cables used for UPC within houses though. If the cable's been there for a long time then I would replace, if it's new then it's likely to work reliably. Any new UPC-installed cables I've seen are double-shielded, on one occasion exclusively with copper.

The main problem I've seen with reusing cable is that the outer insulation or the cable in general can often be damaged from poor installation (kinks), simple weathering or else with splitters and joins being inserted on the length of cable either inside or outdoors. A length of existing can always be tried out to see if it works before simply throwing it away and if it doesn't a cable can then be run. If it only had the cheaper form of braid screening then I would use new cable, it's rare that I've seen that stuff working without any reliability issues whatsoever. Both times were 5 metres long or less.

Ranicand

PepN wrote: »

I'm sorry but I don't buy that for a minute, If I wish to paint my house (which is owned by me and not looked after by a management company) and these cables are restricting me from doing so, your saying I can't remove them? I'd like to see the owner of a property prosecuted in court for removing such cables, no matter who claims to own them. If someone wanted to come on to your private property to start ripping stuff down from your walls without your consent first, would you let them? Honestly?

So you own the land the house it on also but that does not mean you can rip up the ESB cables under your house or Gas or water pipes.

You can not remove the UPC cables.

thisNthat

Ranicand wrote: »

So you own the land the house it on also but that does not mean you can rip up the ESB cables under your house or Gas or water pipes.

You can not remove the UPC cables.

Fair point..
If I wrote to them asking them to remove their cables from my property, Are they legally obliged to do so? Considering these cables outside were on the house before I bought it (the previous owner must have used UPC too)
I'd rather they did, so I could do a fresh install of free-to-air without any hassle or legal Bull from third parties..

Ranicand

PepN wrote: »

Fair point..
If I wrote to them asking them to remove their cables from my property, Are they legally obliged to do so? Considering these cables outside were on the house before I bought it (the previous owner must have used UPC too)
I'd rather they did, so I could do a fresh install of free-to-air without any hassle or legal Bull from third parties..

No the previous owner agreed to this and when you paid for the house you knew the cables were there.

You can still install free to air without touching the UPC cables.

lucernarian

Ranicand wrote: »

No the previous owner agreed to this and when you paid for the house you knew the cables were there.

You can still install free to air without touching the UPC cables.

The first point's not always true. UPC have and do remove cables from certain properties where it turns out they don't have existing rights to run trunk cables across the wall of a particular property. Though what seems to be more common is that new cables under the network rebuild programme are not allowed to be run in replacement to the old cable.

The suggestion I'd make is to call UPC and see what they say, but I'd not recommend it as it's a bit of cutting your nose off to spite your face if anyone ever wants to use UPC even just for phone or broadband at that address. UPC won't be quick to serve a place that brought them to the considerable expense of digging around the house.

thisNthat

Thanks to all for feedback and opinions, Appreciated